Excavators seized as anti-galamsey task force strikes Kyebi

A dawn operation by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has disrupted illegal mining activities in Kyebi, Eastern Region, leading to the seizure and disabling of four excavators used by illegal miners.

The tactical mission, carried out on Sunday, June 15, saw the anti-galamsey task force depart Accra around 10:00 a.m. and descend on mining hotspots in the Asikam and Potrase communities near the Birim River.

As the team arrived, the illegal miners, sensing danger, abandoned their equipment and fled into the bush, evading immediate arrest.

Though the suspects escaped, the task force took decisive action. They removed the control boards from four heavy excavators on-site, rendering the machines inoperable and halting further destruction of the environment.

The team returned to Accra in the early hours of Monday, June 16, around 2:00 a.m., having successfully neutralized the illegal operations for the day.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Police are collaborating with NAIMOS to track down the fleeing miners and bring them to justice.

This operation forms part of a broader push by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, under Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to eliminate illegal mining, especially along critical river bodies such as the Birim.

Authorities say more raids are planned as part of their renewed offensive against galamsey across the country.